Writing with Commonly Confused Words
44mIntermediate2021-02-17
Authors

Mignon Fogarty
Founder of Quick and Dirty Tips Network and Grammar Girl
Course details
Have you ever had to cite a sight you saw while on site? English has many troublesome words that people commonly confuse, which can lead to misunderstandings, confusion, and embarrassment. Using the wrong word can affect your credibility and have an adverse effect on communication. In this course, Mignon Fogarty, better known as Grammar Girl, covers some of the most frequently misused words, from words that sound the same, like “compliment” and “complement,” to words with commonly misunderstood meanings, like “farther” and “further.” Learn how to write with more confidence, make fewer mistakes, and spend less time doubting how to use these tricky words.
Skills covered
WritingProfessional DevelopmentOne-Off
Concepts
Introduction
- Confusing English words
Words that Sound the Same
- 'A lot' or 'alot'
- 'Affect' or 'effect'
- 'Bated' or 'baited'
- 'Capital' or 'capitol'
- 'Cite,' 'sight,' or 'site'
- 'Complement' or 'compliment'
- 'Council' or 'counsel'
- 'Desert' or 'dessert'
- 'Foreword' or 'forward'
- 'Gray' or 'grey'
- 'Home' or 'hone'
- 'Lightening' or 'lightning'
- 'Principal' or 'principle'
- 'Stationary' or 'stationery'
Words with Commonly Misunderstood Meanings
- 'A' or 'an'
- 'Anxious' or 'eager'
- 'Bad' or 'badly'
- 'Because' or 'due to'
- 'I.e.' or 'e.g.'
- 'Fewer' or 'less'
- 'Farther' or 'further'
- 'Hanged' or 'hung'
- 'Hilarious' or 'hysterical'
- 'Lay' or 'lie'
- 'Loose' or 'lose'
- 'Simple' or 'simplistic'
- 'That' or 'which'
- 'Who' or 'whom'
Conclusion
- 'Bid adieu' or 'bid ado'